ACTION is being urged against drivers who use a rat-run created to avoid town centre regeneration work.

Questionnaires returned by more than 200 homes to the Residents of Sunnyhurst Association, Darwen, revealed that all were concerned about speeding vehicles.

Chairperson Maureen Waring said there had been concerns for years but the speeding problem had worsened since the regeneration work began.

She said: "There's definitely been an increase in traffic. I think they use it as a rat-run. It started when they first started the road works in the town centre.

"Because the traffic is backing up Blackburn Road it was easier to come up Earnsdale Road, go through Sunnyhurst Lane and Tockholes Road and into town near Belgrave. They do it in the opposite direction, too, and once people are familiar with the route they keep on using it. Our concern is the speeding of drivers so we are looking for measures which will reduce that."

A sub-group was formed a month ago to move forward the issue of road safety. Members have contacted Blackburn with Darwen Council, councillors, council officers, highways chiefs and police to arrange talks.

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration, said: "Department for Transport guidelines state that sites where actual injury accidents are recorded will be a higher priority than sites with no injury accidents.

"The council agree with Mrs Waring that undertaking preventative measures before accidents take place would be desirable, however with limited budgets, schemes have to be prioritised and this is carried out in line with the DfT guidelines."